Summer Art Fair Goes Virtual

As the Stay Home Stay Safe executive orders have been extended to late May, leaving many events and festivals uncertain of their future for the summer, Midland Center for the Arts continues its mission to connect artists with the community. A virtual art festival will now replace the annual Summer Art Fair previously hosted along the streets of Downtown Midland and feature an array of juried artists in a variety of mediums.

“We know our community looks forward to this annual event to interact and buy from local artisans each summer,” said Julie Johnson, Midland Center for the Arts Director of Museums. “With the uncertainty of when we will be able to host large gatherings again, we hope you will continue to support the work of local and regional artists in this time of need through a virtual format.”

The Virtual Summer Art Fair will begin on Saturday, June 6 and continue through Sunday, June 14 with artists exhibiting their work on Midland Center’s website. Visitors will gain access to individual artisan shops to purchase artwork. Artists looking to exhibit their work as part of the virtual festival should sign up at midlandcenter.org/VirtualArtFair.

The Summer Art Fair has historically been a fundraiser to support the Alden B. Dow Museum of Science & Art and has been an annual event in Midland for the last 53 years. The festival, which was formerly held at the Center for the Arts, was moved to Downtown Midland two years ago to support and bolster walkability and the downtown economy. This year, the Art Fair is being coordinated by Midland Center for the Arts in order provide local artists with a marketplace in which to show off and sell their work in a supported environment at a minimal cost.

“The Virtual Summer Art Fair will once again highlight the amazing work of local and regional artists,” said festival organizer Emmy Mills. “We are delighted to offer them this opportunity at this moment when they need us most.” Festival attendees will be able to participate in artist demonstrations and interact with artists from the Great Lakes Bay Region and beyond, as well as purchase work directly from the artists themselves.

The Virtual Summer Art Fair is generously sponsored by the Great Lakes Loons. For more information, please visit midlandcenter.org/VirtualArtFair.